Oregon Conference to Focus on Safety and Health in Pulp, Paper, and Forest Products Industries
The 33rd annual Western Pulp, Paper & Forest Products Safety & Health Conference, set for Dec. 2–5 in Portland, will feature workshops, exhibits, and sessions on chemical safety, leadership, and wellness.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Nov 05, 2025
Improving worker safety and health in Oregon’s pulp, paper, and forest products industries will take center stage at the 33rd annual Western Pulp, Paper & Forest Products Safety & Health Conference, scheduled for Dec. 2–5 at the Holiday Inn Portland – Columbia Riverfront.
The four-day event, presented by the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) and other partners, will bring together safety professionals, industry experts, and workers to explore new and emerging issues, share best practices, and refresh safety and health knowledge.
Topics will include chemical safety, electrical safety, safety leadership, air monitoring, and control of hazardous energy. Broader sessions—such as workplace wellness, safety committee development, heat-illness prevention, root-cause analysis, and driver safety—will also apply to a wide range of workplaces.
The conference’s keynote address on Tuesday, Dec. 3, will feature Matt Pomerinke, safety specialist at Smurfit WestRock in Longview, Washington. Pomerinke will discuss how workplace accidents and injuries extend beyond the immediate moment, affecting families, friends, and co-workers.
In addition to exhibits and company safety meetings, attendees can participate in roundtables and workshops, including:
- Planning for Emergencies for Our Daily Lives
- Trust Me – It’s Safe! Psyching You Out With Psychological Safety
- Hand Safety
- Hazardous Line Breaking: Program Overview and Best Practices
- Health Impacts of Occupational Exposures in the Wood Products Industry
- So You Think You Know OSHA Codes – Test Your Safety Knowledge!
- Fundamentals of Keeping Steam and Condensate
- Synthetic Ropes in the Forest Products Industry
Registration and full program details are available at safetyseries.cventevents.com/wppfp25.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.